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New York Injury Attorney: Northern Tier Crash Raises Question of Seatbelt Safety

By Jim Reed

In the early morning of Sunday, Jan. 25, a one-car crash in Pennsylvania took the lives of two Drexel University students and injured four more. A morning update from WETM-TV (below) reported the victims? names and the site of the Northern Tier crash.

While families and fellow Drexel students mourn, the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

One fact that has been confirmed by authorities: The four students who survived were wearing their seatbelts. Authorities have not confirmed that fact for the two students who were killed.

The cardinal rule of car safety

Until the crash is fully investigated, we won?t know if the two students who were killed weren?t wearing their seatbelts. It is reasonable to think, however, that seatbelts did play a role in saving the lives of the driver and the three passengers.

Here are some facts from The Prevention Institute?s primer on seatbelt history:

· The United States fare worse in seatbelt use and traffic fatality rates when compared to Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Australia, and Canada. Seatbelt usage exceeds 90% in several of these countries, while the U.S. is currently 75% - and even that is an all-time high.

· Other countries have lower traffic fatality rates: for example, 9 out of 100,000 people in Germany and less than 6 out of 100,000 in Great Britain die in traffic crashes; in the U.S., more than 15 people out of 100,000 die in auto accidents.

· Finally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seatbelts reduce a person’s chances of dying in a crash by 45%.

We may not know for some time what role this simple choice made in the Northern Tier crash. What we do know is what research and experience demonstrate: seatbelts prevent injuries and protect lives.

Thanks for reading, Jim

_________________________________________

James B. Reed, Esq.

Personal Injury & Malpractice Attorney

Ziff Law Firm, LLP

303 William St., Elmira, NY 14902

Tel. (607) 733-8866 Fax. (607) 732-6062

Toll Free 1-800-943-3529

mailto:jreed@zifflaw.com http://www.zifflaw.com

Two Killed, 4 Hurt in Northern Tier Crash

Reported by: Staci-Lyn Honda

Email: shonda@wetmtv.com

Last Update: 1/26 8:08 am

JACKSON TOWNSHIP - Pennsylvania State Police say the victims who died in the crash were passengers.

They are 21-year old John Williamson of Havertown, Pennsylvania and 22-year old Ian Alexander of Royersford, Pennsylvania.

Three other passengers in the car and the driver were taken to Geisinger Medical Center with serious injuries.

State Police say the crash happened on state route 15 south in Jackson Township around 3:30 Sunday morning.

The crash happened near liberty along the Tioga County and Lycoming County border.

State Police say this was a one car crash. But they are not releasing any more details until the investigation is done.

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Full post as published by New York Injury Law Blog on February 04, 2009 (boomark / email).